Susi already on path to semi-finals
Susi already on path to semi-finals
BANGKOK (Reuter): World number one Susi Susanti of Indonesia moved within a match of a semifinal berth in the US$300,000 World Grand Prix badminton finals after a convincing 11-4, 11-3 victory in her first match yesterday.
Susi, the dominant force in women's badminton for several years, overwhelmed Thai wild card entrant Pornsawan Plangvech. The world and Olympic champion is well-placed to top of her three-woman group after her second match against Liu Yuhong of China tomorrow.
After saying she could not afford to take it easy, Susi added that said the absence for academic reasons of Hiroshima Asian Games gold medalist Bang Soo-hyun of South Korea made little difference to her own prospects.
"If she was here, the earliest we would meet would be in the final," Susanti said.
Another Indonesian, teenaged Uber Cup star Mia Audina, caused a stir by beating Sweden's Lim Xiaoqing 5-11, 11-6, 12-9.
Men's singles defending champion Joko Suprianto of Indonesia had to work hard in the second set before defeating his fellow countryman Fung Permadi. Joko defeated Permadi 15-9, 18-15 in their Group A round-robin match.
Results .tb0.2" 1.00" 1.20" Men's singles Group A - Joko Suprianto (Ina) bt Fung Permadi (Ina) 15-9, 18- 15; Dong Jiong (Chn) bt Jeroen Van Dijk (Ned) 15-17, 18-14, 15-6 Group B - Ardy Wiranata (Ina) bt Lioe Tiong Ping (Ina) 14-17, 15-9, 15-5; Paul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen (Den) bt Sompol Kukasemkij (Tha) 15-11, 18-14 Group C - Hu Zhilan (Chn) bt Jens Olsson (Swe) 15-12, 15-5 Group D - Alan Budikusuma (Ina) bt Sun Jun (Chn) 15-13, 15-3; Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen (Den) bt Vacharapan Khamthong (Tha) 15-12, 15-9
Women's singles Group A - Susi Susanti (Ina) bt Pornsawan Plungwech (Tha) 11-4, 11-3 Group B - Mia Audina (Ina) bt Lim Xiao Qing (Swe) 5-11, 11-6, 12-9 Group D - Somharuthai Jaroensiri (Tha) bt Camilla Martin (Den) 11-4, 12-10
Women's doubles Group A - Finarsih/Lili Tampi (Ina) bt Lotte Olsen-Lisbert Stuer-Lauridsen (Denmark) 17-14, 15-5
Mixed Doubles Group A - Thomas Lund/Marlene Thompson (Denmark) bt Nick Ponting/Joanne Wright (England) 18-15, 15-5. Group B - Michael Soguard/Gillian Goulans (Denmark/England) bt Jiang Xin/Zhang Jin (China) 10-15, 15-5, 15-10.